ARB PM2.5 Filter Processing and Validation

Transcription

1 ARB PM2.5 Filter Processing and Validation A Lab and Field Perspective Ali Adams PM2.5 Lab Analyst, Inorganic Lab Section Joe Guerrero Manager, Air Monitoring - North Monitoring and Laboratory Division California Air Resources Board 1

2 Common Goal We are in it together Change is hard Communication is KEY 2

3 Health Motivation What s in it for me? 3

4 Northern Laboratory Branch PM2.5 FRM, Coarse, and SASS Programs 46 Sites Total (FRM, Coarse, SASS) BAAQMD Lab Support ARB Research Division 6,000 samples processed per year Pre- and Post- weights >12,000 per year 4

5 Lab Guiding Documents SOPs QAPPs Technical Bulletins EPA QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume II EPA Quality Assurance Guidance Document

6 Critical Criteria EPA QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume II Validation Template (Lab and Field) Critical Criteria Operational Evaluations Systematic Criteria 6

7 Lab Critical Criteria 4_27_16.pdf 7

8 Lab Critical Criteria 24 Hours Balance Room In degrees C 30% - 40% Relative Humidity 24 Hours Filter Equilibration Filters weighed within 30 days Ship filters below 4 degrees C IF shipped above average ambient temp. samples must be weighed within 10 days. 8

9 Sample 0 Filter is Sampled Sample <7.4 Days Filter is Retrieved within 7.4 Days Sample 5 Days Filter is Shipped to Lab in 5 Days Filter Equilibrates 24 Hours Sample 1 Day Filter Weighed the next Day Sample 13 Days Old 9

10 Sample 0 Filter is Sampled Sample <7.4 Days Filter is Retrieved within 7.4 Days Sample 17 Days Filter is Shipped to Lab in 17 Days (UPS Delay) Filter Equilibrates 72 Hours (Balance Room Out ) Sample 3 Days Filter Weighed After Thanksgiving weekend Holiday (4 more days) Sample 31 Days Old 10

11 Is It Valid? What info do we have from the Field? Does it meet the Critical Criteria? Balance Room Requirements Holding time Requirements Is there filter damage? Dent, cut, fingerprint, contamination, pinhole 11

12 Statistics on Invalid Samples 12 Months Cut/Dent/Torn/Damaged (60) Pinhole(s) (32) Contamination (20) 12

13 Statistics Continued 12 Months Sample Duration <23 Hours OR >25 Hours (24) Non-Midnight start time (24) Retrieval >7.4 Days (14) Samples not weighed within 30 Days (10) ~250 Invalid Samples Total 13

14 Solutions Make-Ups (Except Daily sites) Before next scheduled run OR Exactly one week after missed/invalid run Send samples back to the lab ASAP Lab Communication 14

15 Invalid Samples Impacts Federal Design Values Meeting completeness criteria and required averages to reach attainment. 15

16 Sample Handling Chain-of-custody completeness. Is it Valid? Is it complete? Does it make sense? Are all the pieces there? 16

17 Take Out the Guesswork s Phone Calls Time Time Time 17

18 Sample Handling Continued Noting unusual conditions on the Chainof-Custody (CoC) Rain, wind Fires, construction, fireworks Leak checks and audits Sampler issues Power Outages 18

19 Sample Handling Submit all the pieces to the puzzle. 19

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21 Positive Feedback Synergy - the bonus that is achieved when things work together harmoniously. -Mark Twain 21

22 Contact Info Ali Adams (916) Nial Maloney Sample Handling (916)

23 ARB - Field Staff Responsibilities Joe Guerrero Manager, Air Monitoring - North 23

24 Field Staff Authorities Invalidate samples based on field criteria before sending to lab Lab staff will not invalidate field criteria Document on Field Report/CoC Request Make-ups from Lab Indicate on Field Report/CoC that sample is make-up Know Make-up Rules 24

25 Field Guiding Documents SOPs Technical Bulletins EPA QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume II 25

26 Document Properly Include appropriate information on the form Error on the side of including more information Write clearly. Blue or black ink only. No pencil. No white out. Strike out and initial changes. 26

27 Field Critical Criteria 27

28 Field Criteria - Holding Times Filters sampled more than 30 days from their pre-weight date Invalid Samples left on sampler >7.4 days Invalid Return the samples to the lab promptly 28

29 Field Criteria - Sample Period Non-midnight Start Times - Invalid Midnight to Midnight - Valid Runs 24 Hours + 1 are valid One exception for runs between 18 and 23 hours may be valid. Run a make-up in this situation. 29

30 Field Criteria Flow Average Flow Rate: within 5% of liters/min - Valid Variability in Flow Rate: CV < 2% - Valid 30

31 Field Criteria Damaged Filters Make sure the piston is in the correct position 31

32 Summary Use appropriate reference documentation Adhere to proper holding time requirements Make sure sample runs for the sampling duration Verify flow criteria met Be careful handling the filters and limit damage 32

33 Questions? Joe Guerrero (916)